2010

Al-Qaeda Making Resurgence in Iraq, Taking Advantage of Obama Drawdown

September 13, 2010 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - In yet another looming defeat for team Obama we find - according to the LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-qaeda-20100913,0,2035120.story] - that al-Qaeda, thought essentially defeated, has made a major reappearance in the war torn country, taking advantage of governmental disorganization and an absence of a U.S. combat presence.

In today's piece, Ned Parker reports, "Once vanquished by Janabi and other Sunni Arab fighters who joined the U.S.-backed Awakening movement, the Islamic militant group is carving out new sanctuaries here."

The largely foreign led al-Qaeda insurgency was crushed but not totally eliminated during the process called "the awakening," three years ago due to cooperation by tribal leaders to battle the group.

Ominously, now major bombings are on the increase and without the ability of U.S. forces to take counter measures the disorganized central government is not capable of mounting an adequate push-back.

Since team Obama owns the Iraq draw-down, the prospect of Iraq once again becoming the bloodbath of 2005-06 presents a diplomatic crisis. Mr. Obama has only 50,000 American troops left in theater and they have been garrisoned into a defensive posture.

Absent a functioning government and American combat troops, the prospect for Iraq and Obama's foreign policy in the area looks dim.